Mail receiving and delivering apparatus.



TENTED DEC. 25, 1906 RBGEIVE AND DENVER-EI@ APPARATUS.

PLIGATION ILED EEB. 1905.

2 BEEBTESHEET 1.

@Hyannis PATENTE) DEG. 25, 1906.

E. S. LANER. MAL REGEVNG ND DELVERG APPRATUS. 10N .MLBD 213.20. 1906.

APELICAT S SHEETS-SHEET ations ad rarnnr onirica.

.IlItlS Sli/HTH LANIER, OF IVES'I POI/NT` GEORGIA.

'iilL 'REGElVlNGi AND DELiVERlNC-)i APPA'RATUiS'. v

no. asesor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-Applnatlon filed February 20, 1906. Uerinl w- 302.141.

Patented Dec. 25, 19u6.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SMITH LANIEB'., a citizen oi' the United States, residing at IVest Point, in the county of Troup and State of' Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Receiving and Deliverincf Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to letter-box'fastenere, and more particularly to those that are specially adapted for rural delivery service. y

The invention comprises the production of' means'i'or mounting a lett-enbox upon a supporting-arm that .may be easily brought within the reach of the mail-carrier or any other person from the road without being compelled to leave the vehicle in which they are. f

' It further comprises a letterfbox support rovided with means for adjustably mounting the same upon a post, so that the box may be raised or lowered to suit the particularheight of the road without being compelled to adjust thepost to which it is at tached.

It also consists in means for permitting the letter-box to be swung into a road.

It also comprises means for locking the i letter-box support in its normal position alongside of the road.

With these and other objects in View the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and larrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of my 'invention, showing how` the same may be brought into close proximity to any one assing the same in a'vehicle. Fig. 2 is an e eva- 'tion O' my invention, showing in connection therewith a mail-carriers wagon, and a box in position for having the contents removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my invention with 'certain parts being broken away to better disclose themechanism of' the saine. is an enlarged detail view of a collar use 1n adjusting the height of the supporting-arm.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailv view of one of the brackets for supporting my arm-carryin. mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detai view of a slightly-modified form of collar `used .in supporting the arm of my invention. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of' 'a slightlymodified forni oi bracket for supporting my arm mechanism. Fig. v8 is a front View of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a furporting the adjustable arm of my invention. F ig. 10 is an enlarged detail view, infront elevation, showing a slightly-modified form of bracket used in supporting vmy arm mechanism. This invention contemplates the production of means for overcoming many of the objections to the rural delivery service. In

often the case that the same is injured by being wet while being transferred from the mailcarriers wagon to the box.

It is among the objects of this invention to overcome these objections as well as to overcome the objection of compelling the Inailcarrier to dismount from his wagon and walk to the box, especially in rainy Weather.

In the resent invention the securing means for t e box is so adapted as to be capable of `being revolved out of the way of passing vehicles; but in case the box is desired to be used the same may be brought into the road by the use of the whip or an convenient rod by the driver of any vehiclieJ desiring to use the box, and thus obviating thenecessityof losing time by getting out of the vehicle and going over to the box.

In the present invention I have overcome the objections. above noted, andin the' referred embodiment of my invention I s 0W the same mounted in any preferable way to any suitable post 1. are brackets 2` and 3, used in supporting and holding in proper position the movable mechanism mounted thereon. The .bracket 2is of the usual type, having an aperture, therethrough for accommodating an upright shaft 4. The bracket 3 is of peculiar construction and is adapted to accommodate the locking means for normally holding the box near the post to which the saine is attached. Passing 'through suitable, apertures in the brackets-2 its up ier end a sleeve 5, preferably made fromt e commercial T-joint. Located within the sleeve 5 is a reciprocating arm 6, which has a mail-box receiving. support 7 revolubly secured to one end thereof.

is made of any convenient size, but preferably of liberal proportions, so as to ve to the delivery of mail in the rural districts it is Secured to this post 1" and 3 is a shaft 4, which has mounted upon.

This support 7' ther slightly-modified form of collar for sup- IOC vthe maillbox a firm support,'and is held in position by means of a suitable pin S The supporting-arm 6 is, preferably, made from commercial pipe and is provided in its lower side 5 with a slot 9. A movable guiding-pin 10 is positioned, preferably, on the lower side of the sleeve` 5 and is adapted to project through the slot 9 into the tube 6. The slot 9 is referably made a trifle shorter than the tulie 6, :io iso-that-When the arin 6 is extended to its outermost position the -pin 1() will prevent thev farmv 6 from being removed from its position in sleeve 5. =In order t0 more freelypermit the arm'to reciprocate in the sleeve 5, there ,-1.5-A isprovided' suitable antifriction-bearings, as

:11211, suitably positioned in the sleeve 5A above and below the arm 6. Upon the shaft llis adjustablymounted a collar 12, which is fffprovid'ed'ion its lower surface with a locking zo projection 13, adapted to fit into a notch l@ 1. ini-the bracket=13- From this construction4 it"willfbe evident that when the arm ,6 is swung `so as to be parallel with. the road the .vlug 13 will engage thenaotch 14 and lock the '2'5 supporting=mechanism in position. j l/Vhen Y it is desiredtause the box; the arm 6, carrying the mail-box,is swung toward the road.f

.The lug 13 being rounded will ride out of the notch 14:, and thus permit the above move-v 3cr-ment of the arm 6. Aftenr having used the boxit is only necessary -to swing the arm` so Fas to comeparallel with the road and the lug 1 fwillV engage the notch 14 and will locley the `f boxin a position-out of the Way of passing' 135. vehicles.

' InkFig. 6 I have shown a slightly-modified forni of collar 15. In this form I use the lug `13, but level fthe. sides of the collar, as at 16. IVlhen usingthis form of collar, I preferably r 4c. iuse arnodied form of bracket 17, as seen in E Figs. 7 l and 8. s By kthis construction of 'bracket and collar when the boxhas been swunginto the road it is-only necessary to .1 give thesaine a slightpiish in order to cause v.i5-it tov take its normal position parallel with ff--r-ithe road, as the beveled portions will nor- "jmallytend by `gravity to revolve the MIU 6 @sofajs'rtcause the saine to take a position fhoriz'orital.to the road.

' "5 0- "ifInFig: 9.I have 'shown a still further modi# fied formof collar, as 1J, which is not pro vided with any lug portion, but is simply providedwith'two beveled portions, as 1S) and '2 using-thisforin of collarlv preferably 'i A a lslighlily-modifiedy formof bracket, as -Which has its upperlsurface beveled, as 22 "to'faccminodate the Ibevels 19 .and 20.

his structure willV also have. the effect to nor- Inally return the arm 6 to its-.normal position parallelwith ,the road. s Y..

` .Theditfe'rent. ,modified forms of bracket may, if it is desirable, be used with the preferred forni of collar 12, as it will be evident that the beveled portions of said brackets willv allow .the lug 13 to take its position b gravity in its normal position parallel wit the road.

I have shown and described my preferred structure; but it will be evident that slight y changes and modifications, all within the limits ofthe claims, may be made by me, and I shall feel myself protected in the manufacture and use of the saine.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by lietters Patent, is4 Y 1. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, the combination with a suitable'support, lof arms rigidly secured thereto, an adjustable rotatably-mounted shaft supported by said arms, means for securing said adjustable shaft iii itsadjusiedpositions, a sleeve carried by said rotatable shaft, a reciprocating arm mounted within the said sleeve, apivotally'- mounted support removably secured .to one end of said arm for supporting a mail box.

2. In a inail receiving` and delivering' appa ratus, the combination with a suitable support, of brackets rigidly secured thereto, an adjustable shaft revolubly secured to said brackets, a collar, having' a lockingr portion integrally formed therewith secured to said sleeve, said locking portion being adapted to engage a receiving portion formed in one of said brackets, and means secured to the upper portion of said re voliible shaft for sustaining the mail-box. y

3. In a mail receiving' and deliveringapparatus, the combination with a suitablesupport, of brackets secured thereto, a shaft revolubly mounted therein, anv adjustable collar secured to said shaft and formed with ya locking portion that normally tends to revolve said shaft when said locking portion is out of engagement' with its retainingportion formed in, one of lsaid brackets, a sleeve se` cured to said shaft, antifriction-bearmgs mounted th erein','a reciprocating arm formed with an elongated slot and adapted to reciprocate in said sleeve, means mounted Within' said sleeve for limiting,- the reciprocatory movement of said arm, and means provided upon the end of said arm for revoliiblyrnounb l ing a letter-bordY g In testimonyi'hereof -I affix' my' signature in presence of two witnesses.` is l JAMES sMi'rii` /iiAN-IER. Witnesses: i y I y. JOHNLQFLETOHER,

EDWARD l. -FENWIoK lIO 

